CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 160-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2070

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2070, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to, until July 1, 2027:

(1) Exempt Department of Education purchases for career and technical education goods and services from the State Procurement Code;

(2) Require the Department of Education to acquire three verbal or written quotes for career and technical education purchases of not more than $100,000;

(3) Require awards of over $2,500 for career and technical education purchases to comply with certain statutory provisions regarding offerors; and

(4) Require awards of over $500,000 for career and technical education purchases to be approved by the Superintendent of Education.

Your Committee on Conference finds that career and technical education opportunities provide students with hands-on learning experiences in various emerging and in-demand industries and allow students to directly learn skills using proper industry equipment. This measure ensures timely access to critical career and technical education materials and equipment to provide students with high quality educational experiences and develop skills to support success in their future careers.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Education to acquire three written quotes for purchases that exceed $100,000;

(2) Deleting language that would have required the Department of Education to obtain three verbal quotes for purchases of no more than $100,000;

(3) Making it effective upon its approval; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2070, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2070, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON Co-Chair	____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI Chair
____________________________ SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI Co-Chair	____________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM Co-Chair
____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA Co-Chair